While voice may be the primary interaction method for the MBUX Virtual Assistant, that’s not to say Mercedes has forgotten the big displays that commonly feature in its vehicles. The animated avatar, for example, is built using the Unity game engine, with real-time 3D graphics including movement, intensity, color, and brightness.
MBUX Surround Navigation, meanwhile, builds on the augmented reality navigation currently available in production Mercedes cars. Where the existing system can overlay upcoming turns onto a live camera view of the road ahead in the car’s displays, this new system — based on the automaker’s upcoming MB.OS operating system — adds Unity-powered graphics highlighting what the car has identified in the environment.
For example, MBUX Surround Navigation can distinguish between cars, vans, trucks, and cyclists, and flag pedestrians who might walk into the road or other hazards. A more realistic route that the driver should take in order to reach their programmed destination is interwoven through that digital scene.